It is well known that individuals with certain injuries and/or disabilities are unable to ambulate, or have limited mobility, restricting such individuals from being able to physically ambulate to a restroom. Some individuals may require assistance, or may be bed ridden and physically unable, to ambulate to the restroom even with assistance. Mobile devices, such as bed pans, may be brought to the individual by a caretaker, e.g., a nurse, nursing assisting, etc. This is not only embarrassing for the individual but also requires clean up by the caretaker. In addition, such mobile devices are prone to spilling and odor, and may be uncomfortable for the user.
Devices that may be attached to a standard toilet are well-known. For example, raised toilet seat risers, i.e., medical seat risers, and safety rails may be coupled to the standard toilet. Unfortunately, these devices can be cumbersome to install and may be hazardous for users. More specifically, although some individuals may be encouraged to get out of bed and visit the restroom, e.g., as part of a physical therapy regimen, such encouragement is often desirable for some only when a caretaker is present, especially for those who are at risk of falling when ambulating without assistance.
Patient hoists/lifts are known to assist individuals with getting up and/or being transferred from one location to another, such as from a patient bed to a bathroom. Unfortunately, patient lifts have their drawbacks. Many mechanical lifting aids are difficult to implement safely. Some manufacturers of mechanical lifts require that two caregivers be present when using the lift, which can be inconvenient, because hospitals and patient care facilities often implement a one patient-to-one caregiver personnel distribution. Additionally, transferring a patient using a lift can take up to 3 to 6 minutes, which is often longer than moving a patient manually. Use of mechanical lifts may also require specialized training of staff to use the lift safely. Some patients also find use of a lift to be embarrassing or less dignified. Patients may desire the ability to use the bathroom without the assistance of another individual. In addition, mechanical lifts have a weight limit at which there may be a possibility that the lift will break, which is particularly problematic for significantly overweight patients.
Therefore, a need exists to overcome the problems with the prior art as discussed above.